Suction clearer apparatus for textile machines



March 15, 1960 B. s. POWELL, JR

SUCTION CLEARER APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Filed July 10, 1957 INVENTOR: BENIAMW S. pOwELL,J R.

ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 15, 1960 SUCTION CLEARER APPARATUS FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Application July 10, 1957, Serial No. 671,055

6 Claims.- (Cl. 19-139) This invention relates to a suction clearer system for textile machines and more particularly, to an improved suction head-to be positioned adjacent the front roll of spinning frames and similar textile machines for collecting and removing, broken ends and preventing the accumulation of fly, lint and other waste material on the roll surfaces.

.Various types of suction devices have been developed heretofore, one type of which comprises suction heads extending in close proximity to the front drawing rolls, with each head having a series of spaced suction openings arranged. to coincide with the spacing of individual strands. Another type of suction head has been provided with a continuous longitudinally extending slot of irregular form having portions extending parallel to the roll surfaces for collecting and removing broken strands from the rolls, and other portions offset with respect to said first-named slot portions for removing loose fly, lint and the like from adjacent portions of the rollers remote from the bossed or fluted portion engaged by the traveling strand. V

The first type of suction head referred to above was necessarily provided with relatively small openings or orifices of such length to only coincide with the transverse of individual strands. The other type of suction head although in some respects being an improvement over the first type by being capable of performing the dual function of removing loose ends as well as keeping the adjacent roll surfaces clean, has not proven to be satisfactory. The reason for this is that there is not sufficient space on a spinning frame, for example, to accommodate a suction head of the proper size and diameter to convey the amount of air necessary to provide adequate suction to the continuous longitudinal slot in the suction head. I

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a two slots are also each relatively short so their distal the like.

suction head provided with a novel arrangement of slots tion of gathering or collecting broken ends of yarn as well as cleaning adjacent portions of the fluted or bossed rollers.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a suction device or head of the character described which is provided throughout its length with longitudinally 1 spaced groups of three longitudinally extending slots or orifices which coincide with each fluted or bossed portion of the corresponding bottom drawing roll, one of the slots being located in substantial alinement with the central portion of each fluted portion and being of lesser length than the corresponding fluted portion to embrace the area of the traverse of the sliver or strand passing adjacent thereto. The other. two slots of each group are disposed to one side of thelongitudinal plane of the first slot, with their proximal ends terminating. substantially laterally of the distal ends of the first slot. The other ends terminate in substantial alinement with opposite ends of the fluted or bossed portions of the corresponding drawing roll so that each of the first slots serve as broken end collectors and the other two slots each serve as fly, lint or dust collectors.

It is another object of the invention to form the orifices or slots relatively small, to permit using arelatively small suction headwhich can be readily fitted into the available space on spinning and twisting frames and which will permit the economically correct size to be used to convey the proper amount of air necessary for etlicient operation.

Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a somewhat schematic front elevation show ing a portion of a textile drafting machine such as a spinning frame equipped with the improved suction'device;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of one of the im-" proved suction heads removed from the machine with parts broken away for clarity;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 33 in Figure 2;

. Figure 4 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 2; V

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical'sectional viewtaken substantially along line 5 5 in Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 in Figure 1 with additional bottom and top rolls being added for clarity of understanding.

Most textile plants are equipped with overhead travelling cleaners which direct blasts of air upon the drawing rolls which will adequately prevent accumulations of lint, dust and other waste material on the reduced or unfluted portions of the drawing rolls but will not serve properly to clear the fluted or bossed portions of foreign matter. Therefore, it is with the fluted or bossed portions of drawing rollers that this invention is particularly directed. Referring more specifically to the drawings, the im proved suction device is shown in association with a textile drafting or drawing machine, suchsas a spinning frame, slubber, twister, roving frame, drawing frame or The drafting machine comprises a frame or girt 10 which supports a plurality of roll stands 11. The roll stands 11 accommodate lower or bottom rolls 12, 13, 14 which have corresponding upper rolls 15, 16, 17 positioned thereupon as shown in Figure 6. The bottom rolls are usually fluted or bossed as indicated by numeral 18 on the front bottom roll 14 shown in Figure 1. As shown in Figure 6, strands S are drawn from a source, not shown, and are attenuated and/or twisted between the respective upper and lower rolls 12 to 17 and then generally are drawn downwardly at an angle through guide eyelets to a spindle or the like in a manner well known in the art.

Spinning frames, in particular, are usually provided 7 with some sort of weight means positioned below the drafting rolls for applying pressure to the top roll. Such weight'means is well known in the artand is therefore, not shown in the present drawings. However, the weight means and various other elements usually associated with machines of the character described require a substantial proportion of the space between the drafting rolls and the frame 10 of the machine, and it is with a machine having relatively limited space between the drafting rolls and the frame of the machine that the present invention is particularly adapted to be associated.

. As is usual with a machine equipped with a suction head system, the machine is provided with a longitudinally extending conduit or duct 20 as shown in Figure 1 to v The improved suction head broadly designated by reference numeral 22 is provided for each of the branch conduits '21. In order to insure that the orifices in the suction head are disposed in close proximity to the bottom front roll, the suctionhead 22 is in the form of an'elongated tube 23 which is generally tear-shaped in crosssection so as to present the relatively narrow portion thereof adjacent ther'ront bottom roll 14. A-medial portionof the tube 23 of the suction head 22 has a short conduit 35 communicating therewith which extends downwardly and is adapted to be connected with'the corresponding branchconduit 21 which connects the duct 29. The general construction of the suction head '22 and the means for operating the same is substantially disclosed in a pending application of Woodrow W. Hewitt, Serial Number 591,592, .filed June 15, 1956, now U.S. Patent Number 2,840,863, and entitled, Clearer Suction Head Mounting.

:Gpposite endsof the tube 23 of the suction head 22 are closed *by respective closure members or caps 25, each of which has an adaptor or plug 26 therein provided .with a cavity 27 which is preferably substantially concentric with the enlarged lower portion of the tube 2.3:and which loosely receives a pivot pin'l il projecting inwardly from an inwardly and upwardly biased curved arm or link 32. The arms 32 each extend rearwardly from the suction head 22 and then forwardly as shown in Figure 6 and are suitably connected to respective brackets 33 which are in turn secured to the proximal surfaces fadjacent roll stands 11. I

As is well known, yarns or strands S processed on a spinning frame are traversed laterally during their travel to an extent of 'fromone-fourth inch to one-half inch i the fluted portion ldto collect both lintand fiy as well as broken ends, the continuous length of such slots in combination with the requirement that the slots be a certain width to efliciently insure that the strands are attracted thereto by the vacuum pressure in the suction head would require that the suction head he of relatively large diameter in order to provide sulficient suction therein.

' Accordingly, in order to remove and carry away loose or broken ends, the narrow longitudinally extending upper. portion of the tube 23 of each suction head 22 is provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced elongated,'but relatively short and narrow broken-end receiving slots or openings .49. The slots 4 are disposed in substantially longitudinal alinement and are only of suflicient width to assure that the yarn or strand S will pass therethrough upon becoming broken .or otherwise parted, and of suflicient length to substantially encompass the range of traverse of the corresponding strand. As shown ,in Figures 4, and 6, the wall of each slot 4%) is preferably inwardly inclined at a relatively slight angle toward the center of the slot to further induce influx pf the corresponding strand S upon the same being pa ted o b o n- As the strands S traverse laterally of their respective paths of travel, they normally cause an accumulation of lint, fly and dust on the corresponding fluted portions 18 at each side of the path of traverse. Accordingly, in order to prevent .the accumulation of lint and fly on those .fluted portions 1180f the bottom roll 14 disposed to strand S, there is provided "a-pair of elongated "slots or openings 41 and 42 whichare spaced in close proximity to but offset from each of the broken end receiving slots 40.

The slots 41 and 42 may each be termed as a fly recovery or receiving slot and are preferably relatively narrow and of less width than the broken end recovery-slots 40, this being permissible due to the-factithat the individual portions of lint, dust and the like are generally substantially smallerthan the broken strand and can easily be drawn into a much smaller width opening than that necessary for drawing or sucking the corresponding strand S into the suction head 22.

The proximal ends of the slots 41 and 42 in each group terminate in close proximity to the opposite ends of the slots 49 and their distal ends preferably terminate substantially in alinement with corresponding opposed ends of the fluted or bossedportions 18 of the bottom front roll 14. Since the slots 41, 42-do not communicate di rectly with the respective slots 40 and :the slots are of a minimum size, the cross-sectional area of the tube '23 maybe sufliciently small to be properly positioned below the front drawing roll 14 and, accordingly, the suction system does not require an exceptionally large exhaust system for providing suflicient'suction in the tube 23 of each suction head 22. Stated otherwise, the arrange! ment of slots 44?, 41, 42 and ;the minimum size of the same insures that the tube 23 may be formed of a small enough. size to be properly positioned below the bottom roll 14 andthat a suflicient suction pressure will be created in the tube 23 to draw bothlint and fly as well as broken ends from each of the :flu-ted or bossed portions 18 into the corresponding suction heads 22 to maintain the fluted or bossed portions clean at.all times during the operation of the drafting machine.

In the drawings and'specification .there'has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and al.- though specific terms are employed, they are .used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

I claim:

1. In a cleaning system for the front rolls of a draft.- ing machine and the like, the combination vof elongated tubular suction heads disposed closely adjacent corresponding rolls of the machine and each having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and substantially alined elongated first slots therein for drawing broken ends thereinto, and a pair of elongated slots disposed laterally of eachof the first slots with theirproximal ends terminating i111 close proximity to opposite ends of each of the first s ots.

2. A device for collecting brofken ends and cleaning the front roll of a textile machine comprising an elongated tubular suction head disposed closely adjacent the roll of the machine and having a first row of-a plurality of longitudinally spaced substantially alined elongated slots therein for drawing bro-ken ends thereinto, and a pair of relatively shorter and narrower elongated slots offset from each of said first slots and having their proximal ends terminating in ofiset relation to opposite ends of each of said first slots.

'3. In a cleaning system for fluted portions of front rolls of a drafting machine, the combination of elongated tubular suction heads disposed closely adjacent .corresponding rolls of said machine, each suction head being substantially tear-shaped in cross-section and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and substantially alined first slots therein for drawing broken ends thereinto, and a pair of relatively short elongated and alined slots disposed laterally of each of the first .slots with their prox imal ends terminating in close proximity to opposite ends of each of the first slots. K

4. In a cleaning system for fluted portions of front rolls of a drafting machine, the combination of elongated tubular suction head" disposed closely adjacent corresponding rolls of said machine, each suction head being substantially tear-shaped in cross-section and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and substantially alined first vslots therein for drawing broken ends thereinto, and a pair of shorter and narrower elongated and alined slots disposed laterally of each of the first slots with their proximal ends terminating in close proximity to opposite ends of each of the first slots.

5. In a cleaning system for fluted portions of front rolls of a drafting machine, the combination of elongated tubular suction heads disposed closely adjacent corresponding rolls of said machine, each suction head having a plurality of longitudinally spaced and. substantially alined first slots therein for drawing broken ends thereinto, and a pair of relatively short elongated and alined slots disposed laterally of each of the first slots with their proximal ends terminating in close proximity to opposite ends of each of the first slots and their distal ends terminating substantially in alinement with the ends of the fluted portions of the roll.

6. In a cleaning system for fluted portions of front 5 rolls of a drafting machine, the combination of elongated tubular suction heads disposed closely adjacent corre- References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS v 2,425,576 Thoma Aug. 12, 2,744,295 Spisak May 8, 1956 2,799,356 Hewitt July 16, 1957 2,840,863 Hewitt July 1, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 976,681 France Nov. 1, 1950 

